The Man Who Sold The World
by Katie Havok
Summary: She arches an eyebrow to convey a patented New York you don't say! look, just in time to see his face slowly drain of color. Mist creeps up the narrow tunnel as all the light seems to be sucked from the cavern. Newt turns on the ball of his foot, only to utter a sharp curse beneath his breath while taking a quick step back.


Warning: **smut!** Originally published on Ao3 on July 15th, 2017.

* * *

The Paris catacombs are cold for July, and incredibly dank, to say nothing of the stench.

Tina grimaces and steps over a slimy brown puddle of _something_ while her companion sniffs delicately before looking around.

"Do you see anything?" Newt asks in a low voice.

Tina firms her grip on her wand. "No." She wraps her arms around herself, a sudden chill seeping into her bones. "And I doubt we will. I think this is a dead end, Newt."

He tilts his head toward the ceiling, brow wrinkling as he considers their surroundings. Bones rattle unexpectedly in the corner, revealing a grinning skull that is ghastly in bluish wand light. He recoils from it with a reverently murmured, _"Merlin's beard!"_ before blinking wide eyes at her.

"I think," Newt begins, and pauses to moisten his lips. "I think you're right, Tina."

She arches an eyebrow to convey a patented New York _you don't say!_ look, just in time to see his face slowly drained of color. Mist creeps up the narrow tunnel as all the light seems to be sucked from the cavern. Newt turns on the ball of his foot, only to utter a sharp curse beneath his breath while taking a quick step back.

"Tina," he says, voice slow and dragging. "Please, _please_ tell me you're able to produce a Patronus." He retreats a step, then another, instinctively maneuvering himself so that he's between her and _whatever_ is producing that awful mist. Newt crouches into a defensive posture, his wand at the ready as he eyes the low, fetid fog.

"Of course, I can, all Aurors can," Tina manages past a suddenly too-tight throat. "It's part of our training."

"That's good," Newt says breathlessly while angling himself toward her, "because I'm not sure I can handle that many on my own." He makes a vague gesture, and Tina stands on tiptoes to look over his shoulder before the bottom drops out of her stomach.

Dementors crowd the throat of the tunnel, effectively blocking their way. Newt and Tina turn as a single unit to retreat, only to find they've been neatly hemmed in from the other side. Tina chokes as _memories_ creep in to take her, dark and unpleasant reminders of her many failings, interspersed with the raw despair she _still_ feels over her parent's death and the deep ache of insecurity.

Newt is weeping openly beside her, tears staining his freckled, too-pale cheeks. His wand hand shakes badly when he turns to face her.

"Ready?" he croaks. She opens her mouth to ask doubtfully, _are you?_ but Newt flicks his wand before she has the chance. "Expecto Patronum," he intones hoarsely, and something large and feathered and _shrieking_ leaps from the tip to go barreling down the ossuary.

Newt appears thunderstruck, watching through wide, glassy eyes while his Patronus plows through the dark wraiths before wheeling toward the other end of the tunnel.

Tina determinedly pushes his expression—and the questions that go along with it—aside before carefully putting her back to him.

It's Newt she thinks of when she retrieves a happy memory, and she doesn't have to reach very far. His boyishly crooked smile remains firmly in her mind's eye when she summons her own guardian, and the two perfectly-paired Thunderbirds sweep majestically through the cavern until the Dementors flee, taking the cold and crawling mist with them.

Their Patroni disappears soon after, but not before sharing a long look with their respective casters.

Tina turns to Newt in the sudden, deafening silence. He's staring down at his wand with an unreadable expression, his pale lips set in a firm line to hide their trembling. He flinches when she takes his arm, and she isn't blind to the sheen of tears brightening his eyes when she wordlessly Disapparates them away.

* * *

Upon their return, Newt disappears into his room without so much as looking at her.

Tina smothers a sigh as she walks down the short hallway to her own quarters, locking the door behind her as she kicks off her shoes and tosses aside her locket. She leaves a trail of clothing as she trudges into the bathroom, intent only on washing away the stink of the catacombs when she pours rose oil into the bath water before sinking in.

She takes her time washing up, letting the heat soothe the ache of frustration out of her muscles while her mind wanders.

The look on Newt's face beneath the city had been crystal clear: whatever he had been expecting to produce with his Patronus charm, it was _not_ a Thunderbird.

She wonders idly if he knew what shape his Patroni took prior to today, before deciding that he most likely did. She knew from hard-won experience that Newt, despite his seemingly slovenly ways, possessed one of the most rigidly _organized_ minds she's ever witnessed - including Queenie's. Each part of his life resided in its own little box, carefully compartmentalized lest his entire existence falls into shambles.

So, Tina figures it's a safe bet that he _knew_ his form...and that sometime between when he last used the charm and today, that form had shifted unexpectedly.

She shivers internally as she considers the ramifications. Tina knows from her training that Patroni taking after magical creatures are rare. She also knows that _matching_ Patroni are even rarer. It can't be a coincidence that she and Newt share a form, and yet…

Tina closes her eyes as she runs the washcloth over her skin, imagining _his_ hand doing the work. She sighs as her ablutions tingle the peak of her breasts, causing her nipples to tighten, and exhales shakily when she cleans the sensitive juncture of her thighs.

 _Newt_ , she thinks and dares to tweak her hardened nipple before rinsing off. Heat pools in her lower belly, a near-constant companion after months of proximity to _him_. She welcomes it as she towels dry and pulls on a sheer sleeping shift.

She's just turned down her bed when a familiar knock sounds at the door. Tina stifles the thrill that goes through her before taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. She takes another, this one much less shaky, and holds it until she's centered enough to cross the room.

Tina reaches for her dressing robe on instinct before pausing, bottom lip caught between her teeth. She looks down at herself, a vision of long legs and pale satin that falls to mid-thigh, and squeezes her eyes shut in indecision.

 _You can do this,_ she thinks. _This has been a long time in coming. Just open the door, and let whatever happens, happen. You know why he's here._ Tina redirects her hand to the doorknob before she can second-guess herself.

Newt's leaning against the door frame, the picture of forced casualty with one hand in his pocket, the other hanging loosely by his side. He meets her eyes when she cracks the door, only to blink and straighten abruptly when he notices her state of undress.

"Tina," he breathes, and his eyes fall automatically to her feet. She can feel the weight of his gaze when he drags it slowly over her, from her narrow ankles to her shapely calves, over the shallow curve of her hip and thigh to linger on her chest before finally, _finally_ finding her face.

There's a new warmth in his eyes when they meet hers, and he offers no resistance when she gently tugs him into the room.

"I'm sorry," Newt murmurs, bright eyes lingering somewhere in the vicinity of her collarbone. "I didn't realize that you were about to go to bed. I should...it could have waited until morning." Cheeks flushing, he chances a quick look at her face.

Tina smiles just for him, allowing a glimpse of the hidden dimple in her right cheek.

"It's okay," she whispers. "It's fine, truly. I...I think I was hoping you would come, actually." She nervously worries the lace edge of her nightgown until he reaches out to take her hand in his own, his fingers lightly brushing the curve of her thigh in the process. Goosebumps prickle her skin, and his throat bobs in a swallow as he squeezes her gently.

"I wanted to make sure you were all right," Newt explains himself in a hoarse whisper. "I could have waited until tomorrow, I suppose, but...I didn't _want_ to." His knuckles are rough beneath her fingers, and Tina shivers slightly before taking a bold step closer to him.

Newt closes his eyes when her fingers thread around the nape of his neck, and they share a shaky sigh when he cautiously tips his forehead to lean against hers.

"I'm fine," she promises. "That wasn't my first time dealing with Dementors, and I'm sure it won't be the last." She takes an unsteady breath when his brow furrows before covering her hand with his. She guides it downward, urging his trembling fingers to spread over the satin covering her thigh.

Newt blinks open his eyes in obvious disbelief, where she greets him with a tiny smile. "Was that all you wanted?" He moistens his lips as he looks into her eyes before lowering his gaze to her mouth.

"No," he breathes and dips his chin to kiss her.

The press of his lips is gentle, careful, almost chaste—a thing of soft pressure and carefully-held breath. Newt pulls back to examine her before it's really properly begun, gauging her expression as the tips of his ears turns delicately pink.

Tins presses her leg into his hand, delighting inwardly when his fingers tighten and he risks a quick glance down. She touches his bristly jaw with curious fingers to find his eyes again, and his brow smoothes out while they watch each other until she leans forward in clear invitation to meet her halfway.

Their second kiss is better, all heated pressure and the slide of their skin. Tina gasps hungrily into his mouth when his lips part, causing his fingers to convulsively bunch her nightgown before relaxing.

Newt smoothes his hand over her hip before daringly embracing her. Tina molds herself to the masculine line of his body when his hand trails up her back to her hair, tangling in the dark strands as he deepens the kiss.

Panting slightly, they gradually gentle the embrace to tender brushes and nips, until Newt urges her head back to press a line of soft kisses over her jaw. "Tina," he breathes low in her ear, "may I show you why I came here?"

Delighted, she closes her eyes while breathing consent. Newt gently nips the lobe of her ear in thanks before sliding both hands to her hips. He lathers her neck and shoulder with warm, hungry kisses while gently turning her until her back is against his firm chest and his hands are spread over her stomach.

"You're so soft," he murmurs appreciatively while tracing her navel with his thumb. Tina arches her back when he sucks the hollow of her neck, before soothing the slight burn with his tongue. "May I touch you?"

She smiles to herself while covering his hand with her own, leading it downward. He takes it for the consent that it _is_ , and Tina gasps when he traces the hem of her nightgown before slipping beneath.

Gentle fingertips outline the swell of her hips, stomach, and thighs as he raises the other to her throat. He circles it lightly and kisses her jaw before brushing her hair aside. Newt blazes a trail of kisses down the nape of her neck to her shoulder, where he pushes the narrow strap of her nightgown aside to nip her as heat curls in her lower belly.

"You can take it off," Tina murmurs before she has a chance to second-guess herself. He forces out a quick exhale before dragging his stubble up her neck to her ear.

"You are a _goddess_ ," Newt exults. Smiling, she works with him to pull the shift over her head. He tosses it carelessly away before returning his attention to her skin, once more pushing the storm cloud of her hair aside to kiss and nibble her neck, shoulder, and throat as his other hand memorizes her curves.

Blunt fingernails drag gently over her hip and stomach before climbing to her breast. He palms her with a low sound while trapping her nipple between his fingers, pinching lightly. She arches against him with a moan, a slow undulation taking her hips as he teases her.

Newt crosses his arms over her belly to embrace her while Tina pants. He hesitates with his hands on her hips, his thumbs fanning twin, nervous crescents over her skin as he breathes against her skin.

Sensing his doubt, Tina turns her head to kiss his jaw. He cranes his chin over her shoulder to capture her lips, the pull of his mouth a slow, sensuous expression of worship as he swallows her moans.

"Tell me," Newt gasps against her lips when they come up for air, his eyes heavy with passion and something _else_. Unable to find the words, or perhaps too nervous to speak them, she guides one of his hands to the juncture of her thighs, the other to her breast as he parts his lips on a silent gasp.

Tina's head falls back with an encouraging sigh when he cups her sex. His cautious explorations find her slick and yearning, and he parts her with a ragged sigh to draw lines through her moisture. Newt latches onto the sensitive skin behind her ear as he probes her gently before angling his hand to brush the knot of nerves that make her dissolve into bliss.

He circles it in ever-tightening spirals while his other hand squeezes, his low voice sounding a constant litany of encouragements until Tina arches to drag her fingers through his hair as everything within her catches alight.

" _Newt_ ," Tina moans—a breathless warning. She feels him nod in understanding as his fingers press more insistently, his humid mouth scorching against her skin. Newt moves from behind her without missing a beat, crouching at her feet to take a straining nipple into his mouth as his fingers find a much more _pleasing_ angle.

She buries her hands in his hair when he peppers her chest with kisses before hiding his face in the fullest part of her breast, tongue feeding out to taste the salt of her light sweat.

"Tina," he gasps into her skin. "Tina, _please_ let me see you."

She drops her head back with a cry when he abandons her breast to slip his other hand below her waist, circling her clit with his thumb while pushing two fingers inside. His lips hover over her belly and hips as he alternates kisses with soft pleas until her thighs quiver in warning and she clutches desperately at his shoulders to keep upright.

She cries out his name when his thumb brushes _precisely_ where she needs it, shuddering against him while tugging his hair.

"That's it, Tina," he murmurs into the taut plane of her stomach, focused touch never faltering. He presses his mouth in shaky halos against her skin while crooking his buried fingers just so.

Her entire body convulses when tingling heat flashes through her before concentrating in her core. Tina's back snaps into a bow when she comes, limbs simultaneously slack and tense as she pulsates around him. He withdraws one hand to prevent her from falling, supporting her weight while his angled strokes gradually slow until she drifts back down, chest flushed and muscles trembling weakly.

Newt withdraws his hand when she keens and shudders away from him, over-stimulated nerves snapping in the wake of orgasm. He smirks up at her while sliding his fingers into his mouth, making a show of cleaning them before climbing to his feet.

Newt embraces her gently, almost cautiously, until she gathers a fistful of his shirt to tug him close. He tastes like musk and salt when she kisses him, and he groans into her mouth when she slides her hand below his waist.

He breaks their kiss to watch as she first palms, then squeezes where he throbs insistently against his trousers. She walks her fingers over his length while smiling coyly at him. He gulps when she toys with his fly before slipping the first button from its eye.

"Newt," Tina murmurs against his lips while freeing the second fastening, making him gasp. He lowers his braces and opens his shirt when she pops the third, breath hitching against her mouth. Newt kisses her deeply while shrugging out of his shirt, until his bare arms encircle her as she slowly parts the fabric at his waist.

Tina anchors herself to his chest with one hand, appreciatively tracing the scarred but firm curve of his pectoral muscle while kissing the edge of his jaw. She gradually slips her other hand into his trousers, and she's just begun working on the closure of his underwear when he speaks.

"Tina," Newt murmurs while squeezing her hip. She lifts her head to align their profiles, finding and holding his eyes as she teases the soft/hard length jutting from his core before circling it.

Newt gasps raggedly while pressing their cheeks together, his breathing harsh and stilted as she strokes him in short bursts. Pleased, Tina hides her triumphant smile in his hair when he shivers before nibbling the hinge of her jaw.

"Tell me," she breathes into the curve of his neck. "Tell me what you need and I'll take care of you."

He turns his head to kiss her when she pushes his trousers and underwear down, freeing him enough to take firm hold. He shudders while voicing a broken moan, voice unsteady when fumbling hands cover her own, forcing her to halt.

"You," Newt breathes while meeting her eyes. "I just need you, Tina. I think...I think you're all that I'll _ever_ need."

Unexpected tears prickle her eyes. His expression is solemn when he thumbs them away before leaning forward to kiss her forehead. "I'm okay," Tina promises after a moment and wraps her arms around his shoulders. "Will you make love to me?"

A single, violent tremor works through him when she presses her lips to the freckles dotting his chest, before sliding her palm along his arms to take his hands. Newt ducks his head awkwardly before meeting her eyes, and _his_ smolder at her when he threads their fingers.

"How do you want to do this?" he asks her in a smoky whisper.

Tina kisses him slowly in answer and experiences an electric surge of anticipation as she leads him to bed.

Newt hesitates just before they climb on, bending to shuck off his trousers and underwear and kick them aside. Once free, his hands rise to cradle her jaw as he kisses her. He places no demands as he massages her lips, and Tina uses the opportunity to run curious fingertips over the lines of his well-defined chest and stomach before tracing his scars.

He smiles faintly when he draws back, murmuring "I'll tell you about them later," at her questioning look before leading her to the bed. Once there, he urges her to climb up the sheets until she is reclined against the pillows, legs tangled loosely with his.

Tina has to bite back sudden giggles when Newt bends to kiss her stomach, his lips light and ticklish against her skin. She grunts with the effort of containing her mirth and he cocks an inquisitive eyebrow at her before moving his mouth lower. Her laughter chokes off into a moan when he kisses the dark curls between her thighs before dipping his tongue into her navel, his fingers finding where she is wet and achy to stroke her until her hips lift pleadingly off the mattress.

Newt stretches to squeeze her breasts as he nuzzles her skin. "Is this how you want me?" he asks while slowly kissing his way up her chest. "Or did you have something else in mind?" He presses his face into her throat before sucking the skin there, leaving a line of red-purple marks as he works his way to her mouth. He presses their lips together to inhale her, synchronizing their breathing until Tina's patient resolve crumbles and she tugs his hips.

"Like this," she pleads, prompting him to rest on his elbow and kiss her fleetingly. He smiles into her eyes when he rocks back onto his haunches, and Tina parts her trembling knees to allow him to crawl between them. Momentary nerves flutter in her belly when he takes himself in hand, and Newt examines her face closely as he anchors himself to her hip.

"Are you sure?" Tina blinks up at him before dragging her fingertips down his stomach to brush his length.

"I've never been surer of anything in my life," she promises, and cups where he is fullest as he rubs her, butting her clit to slick his length before slowly feeding into her.

Newt seats them together with a long, shaky sigh, his body trembling as he presses her into the sheets. He's panting slightly when he shifts over her, one hand tracing the outline of her hip and thigh while the other moves to the mattress, supporting his weight on a rigidly extended arm.

He breathes her name, and Tina opens her eyes to find him watching her desperately.

" _Please_ touch me," he begs. Her hands fly to his chest and arms when he withdraws slowly, only to bring them back together with a gasp. His expression suffuses with bliss when he fills her again, setting a hungry pace as he squeezes her breast, his attention divided between her face and where he sinks into her until his head drops between his straining shoulders with a moan.

Tina presses her hips up to meet his while watching the emotions flickering through his eyes. She squeezes his taut bicep and forearm until Newt presses their palms together to weave their fingers. His hips stutter when she moans his name, and he squeezes his eyes shut as he thrusts particularly hard for a few moments before freeing her hand.

Any disappointment she feels at the loss of contact evaporates when he uses it to urge her legs over his hips and settles closer to her. Newt reclaims her hand, and they share a moan when he seals them together in a kiss.

He gasps her name against her lips before hiding his face in her throat while stroking her faster, until Tina tugs his hair and rakes her fingernails down his back as everything inside her coils.

"Mercy Lewis," she gasps, and clutches him as the part of her he's sunk into _throbs_. "Oh, _Newt_."

He lifts his head for a kiss, lips and skin slick against her. "Say it," he pleads, moaning while thrusting his tongue into her mouth. Tina cries out as another warning pulse goes through her, and Newt groans while kissing her chin, her jaw, her cheek. "Please say it," he implores, his voice little more than a thready moan.

Tina fists the sheets as she begins to tremble.

"I love you," she somehow manages despite the weight of orgasm crushing her throat. Newt trembles a small sob while fervently kissing her neck. "I love you, _I love you_ —"

She chokes herself off when he slides a hand between them to brush her clit, and he watches her arch off the bed as she crests, head rocked back to announce her release to the room. He bends with her to latch his mouth to her throat, sucking her skin as she contracts and flutters around him before sinking back onto the mattress.

Tina brushes his hair off his sweaty brow until he turns his head to kiss her while increasing the pace of his movements. She rocks her hips back with a moan to make herself more receptive to his focused thrusts, and Newt's eyes drift closed as he bites his lip before opening to hone in on her.

"Tina," he purrs while reaching out to brace against the headboard. She slides her legs from his hips to allow him greater range of motion, and he growls his thanks while dragging his teeth along the column of her neck.

She clutches his shoulders when he dips in for another kiss, his tongue sweeping her mouth until he pulls back to look at her. His free hand slips beneath the small of her back to _lift_ , allowing him to sink further inside, and Tina moans approvingly while he smirks against her jaw. "Better?" She nods while dragging her fingernails encouragingly over his sides. "Oh, good," he pants, just before the headboard creaks in warning when he _squeezes_.

They share a breathless laugh when he goggles at it through wide eyes, hips never ceasing their implacable rhythm, before snapping his arm away. Newt cradles her face and jaw with his liberated hand, gazing into her eyes worshipfully as she holds him close.

He shudders deeply without warning, the skin around his mouth tightening when he nibbles her lip before exhaling shakily against her skin. "I love you," Newt breathes into her ear, simply and without preamble, and stupid, affectionate tears sting her eyes. He watches her searchingly until she nods with a watery smile and he shudders again, longer this time as his muscles coil beneath his skin.

Tina squeezes his hips in encouragement as Newt devolves into shaky snaps. He pushes himself up to watch where he slips into her, and Tina tightens herself around him consciously while whispering his name, watching him through adoring eyes.

His eyes drift closed when he bites his lip, a furrow carved deep in his brow as he shudders and growls—before yanking out of her abruptly, trapping his length against her stomach to streak over her skin. Tina moans while stroking him gently, smiling as his sweaty hand squeezes her thigh until he trembles through to recovery.

Newt opens his eyes with a smile, taking a few carefully measured breaths before shakily leaning over her for a kiss. He does a thorough job of it, and she's smiling and satisfied when he moves off her to straighten his legs.

Tina touches the mess coating her skin curiously, rubbing it between her fingers before turning to him. "Are you alright?" she asks.

He utters a small bark of laughter while stroking her hair. "I'm not entirely sure," Newt admits. "I can't feel my toes."

The tips of his ears turn pink when Tina laughs delightedly before sitting up and flicking her wand. The mess vanishes, and he stretches his legs in turn before gathering her close. Tina sighs happily as he presses small, dry kisses to her cheek and jaw while cradling her face.

She tilts her head back to look at him when he kisses her chin before watching her seriously. "I do, you know," he mumbles and clears his throat. "Love you, I mean." She reaches out to touch the scar bisecting his eyebrow and he leans into her like a large, ginger cat. "I have for a while now. I just didn't realize it because I was too close to it, I think." He kisses her briefly. "Seeing my new Patronus rather put the pieces together for me. I'm only sorry it took me so long to get there, Tina."

She waves an airy hand while tucking her head under his chin. "It's okay. I know that I've loved you for a while, but I couldn't find the nerve to say it." He sighs while squeezing her, and she turns her head to kiss his speckled collarbone. "So I guess that makes us even, doesn't it?" She feels his nod. "I know I should have said it sooner, but…"

"You said it first," he points out while easing them back into the pillows. They adjust around each other until they're comfortable, his arms slung over her shoulders and waist, her head pillowed on his chest. Newt arches an eyebrow while looking down at her. "And it seemed to have had a rather… _profound_ effect on you. Didn't it?"

She laughs. "You could say that." Tina runs her fingers over his still-damp skin thoughtfully before kissing his flat, dark nipple. "Hey, Newt? Um...what was your Patronus? Before, I mean."

One of his hands brushes the underside of her breast when he tucks the other beneath his head. "Before you, it was a swan." She blinks, not having expected that, and raises a curious eyebrow. Newt sighs while dragging his fingers through her hair. "Leta," he says simply, and she nods in understanding.

"That makes sense," Tina muses. "I know you loved her before I came along." She traces a scar on his chest, just over his heart. "Is she who you used to think of when you had to use your Patronus?"

Newt shifts to capture her hand. "Yes," he whispers, "but she's not who I thought of today."

Tina hides her smile against the stack of his ribs. "Who _did_ you think of?" she asks coyly, knowing the answer.

"Jacob, of course," Newt smirks, and she looks at him for a shocked beat before dissolving into giggles. His full-throated laughter soon joins hers, weaving around them like a balm to their spirits as he presses kisses into her hair.

"I'm not being serious," he whispers. "I thought of you, Tina. It's _always_ you, now."

Tina frames his earnest face with her hands before leaning in for a kiss. "I know. And it's you for me, too."

"Always," he repeats faintly and smiles as she settles against him once more. Comfortable silence descends until Tina tugs the blankets over them once their sweat has cooled.

Newt holds her close, sometimes stroking her hair, sometimes brushing her skin, always with a faint, disbelieving smile.

"It's late," he says in a low voice sometime later. Tina glances at the summer-dark window. "Should I...go?"

"No," she whispers and wraps more firmly around him. "Stay. Please."

"Yes, my love," he murmurs, and relieved, she closes her eyes.


End file.
